A Fall Hiking Festival in the spectacular Cape Breton Highlands!
Hike the Highlands Festival, September 12-18, 2026 ... Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada.
A seven-day hiking festival on the Cabot Trail (and Northern Cape Breton) that features guided hikes, evening activities & presentations, the hiker distance award, opening & closing ceremonies and a photo contest.
Festival Updates & News (March 26, 2026)
1) Happy Retirement Tom Wilson:
The lines from the poem by Robbie Burns “My Heart is in the Highlands” comes to
mind when thinking of Tom Wilson. Tom initially started a weekend Victoria
County hiking festival. Later staff of the Cape Breton Highlands Project worked
with Tom to develop a 10 day hiking festival called Hike the Highlands Festival.
The Cape Breton Highlands Project organized the festival for 3 years. When this
special tourism project finished, a group of dedicated hikers, with Tom in the lead
kept the festival going. Tom has given over 22 years of his heart and soul to Hike
the Highlands Festival and later, The 3 Peaks Challenge. His love of this land is
evident when you talk to him about the Highlands and especially when you join
him on the hiking trails.
When you see Tom on the trails his constant companion is his camera. He takes
great joy capturing the flora and fauna as he hikes. It brings him pleasure to see
the little details and the grand vistas through his camera lenses. He happily shared
these captured moments through his presentations at the welcoming evening to
the closing events of HTH each year.
When booking a vacation, either at home or abroad, many seek the cities and
busy tourist attractions. When Tom goes on vacation it is to discover the less
travelled roads and solitary paths. Tom’s ideal vacation is soaking up the quiet,
the calm, and the natural beauty around him.
Tom, as you retire, we from Hike the Highlands, wish you many exciting
adventures. When night falls may you put your feet up, look through your photos,
and reflect on the day. May you realize that you have worked hard, given your all,
and have earned the freedom to hike into many adventures. Thanks Tom for all
you have given to Hike the Highlands, your hard work, your dedication, and
countless hours. Happy Trails!
2) 16th Annual CB Highlands 3 Peaks Challenge event will take place on Saturday, June 13th on the Cheticamp side of the Cape Breton Highlands National Park. Teams of four members will hike three mountains in one day. They include a) Squirrel Mountain, b) Roberts Mountain and c) Acadien. Registration closes May 15, 2026.
3) We are please to announce the tentative hikes of the 2026 Hike the Highlands Festival. Online registration for the festival will open on March 4, 2026.
4) Check out our 2025 Hike the Highlands Festival Closing show on youtube -
5) You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter by following this link. Our next newsletter is March 31, 2026 or earlier.
